The Perkiomen Valley Youth Basketball seventh-grade girls travel team placed second at the Maryland Cardinals March Madness Basketball Classic in Salisbury, Md., last weekend. In the championship game, Perkiomen Valley was defeated by Team Sol, the No. 2 nationally ranked AAU team from Washington, D.C., by 12 points.

During the classic, Perkiomen Valley competed against top AAU programs including the Virginia Cardinals, the Lady Wolfpack from the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Delaware, and the WHAC Lady Ballers from Maryland at the Wicomico Civic Center, a 5,200 seat arena in Salisbury.

Perk Valley was led in the tourney by forward Alex Blomstrom with 41 points. Point guard Kylie Webb chipped in 15 points.

Perkiomen Valley had previously won the 2012 Fetterman Memorial Classic in Cooperstown, N.Y., the 2012 Carlisle Thunder Tournament in Carlisle, and the 2011 Love and Basketball Tournament held in King of Prussia.

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ICE HOCKEY

The Owen J. Roberts Wildcats Elementary Hockey team rebounded after a tough 1-0 loss to the Fly Guys ’04 with a 6-3 victory over West Chester Henderson. The Wildcats got on the board first with two goals in the opening period. Zach Kuhar buried a rebound off an Ava Rinker shot just over eight minutes into the game. A minute later Adam Carter finished off some precision passing from Cole Heintz with a wrist shot to put the ’Cats up 2-0. The Wildcats increased their lead to 5-0 in the second period with three more goals before Henderson would eventually get on the board. Conor Booth intercepted a pass and took the puck back into the zone all alone before burying a wrist shot past goalie Nick McIntosh, unassisted, at the 5:35 mark. Rinker picked up OJR’s fourth goal when she finished off another nice pass from Heintz for the game-winner. Heintz scored an unassisted goal at 7:36 of the second period. Henderson cut into the OJR lead at 5-1 with just over a minute to play in the middle frame. Booth added his second goal just over four minutes played into the third period, on an unassisted power play goal putting OJR up 6-1. Henderson added a couple of late third-period goals, making the score 6-3. Ryan Sweeney played tall in net, making some big saves in the third period, finishing with 16 saves.

In the second game against Henderson, the Wildcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal by Ethan Venezia. Some excellent passing from Heintz to Venezia in the neutral zone resulted in Heintz sending Venezia in all alone on McIntosh, before he roofed the puck over McIntosh’s stick side for a 1-0 lead. Henderson then tied the game up at 1-1. Ryan Sweeney was the difference in the second period for the Wildcats, making several big stops. Sweeney’s play in goal was one of the reason’s OJR came away with a tie, making 18 saves in the game. The Wildcats outshot Henderson 21-19.

OJR Middle School

The Owen J. Roberts Middle School team ended its five-game losing streak with a wild 7-6 win over Perkiomen Valley. Perk Valley opened the scoring in the first period with goals from Brandon Leer and Jason Teefy. OJR’s Kevin Hatten cut into the lead before the period ended making the score 2-1, as Austin Mourar picked up the lone assist. PV’s Dylan Grierson put the Vikings up 3-1 early in the middle frame. Nineteen seconds later Hatten netted his second goal of the game, unassisted, to cut into the PV lead again, to 3-2. Billy Kranich tied game at 3-3 for the Wildcats on an unassisted goal. The Wildcats’ second period goal-fest continued when OJR’s Patrick McLaughlin put his team up 4-3 with a power play goal from Mourar. Joey Mace then put the ’Cats up 5-3 when he finished off a nice pass from Mourar. PV would get on the board in the second period when Grierson added his second goal, making the score 5-4. OJR came right back seven seconds later when Mourar decided to pick up his own goal instead of setting someone else up, putting OJR up 6-4. Kevin Hatten finished off his hat trick early in the third period with an unassisted goal to put OJR up 7-4. Grierson scored his third and fourth goals to pull PV within a goal at 7-6. But this would be all PV would get as the Wildcats tightened up their defense on a crazy and loose defensive night. Darius Lobello picked up the win in goal, making 19 saves in the victory. His teammates managed 31 shots on PV goalie Oliver Duffey, who ended with 24 saves.

The team picked up its second victory in a row with a 5-2 win over Shanahan-O’Hara. The Wildcats jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first period. Mace got things started when he finished off a Mourar pass. James Donnelly picked up OJR’s second goal after being set up by Tyler Crouthamel and Mace. Kevin Hatten added an unassisted goal putting the ‘Cats up 3-0. Sammy Diehl finished the first period scoring, burying a set-up from Brennon Szilli and Hatten. Neither team would score in the second period, as Shanahan-O’Hara would tighten up their defense in front of goalie Sean Dahahy. The Wildcats’ defense continued to shut the door on any offensive pressure that came their way.

Shanahan-O’Hara finally got on the board, making it 4-1, but Szilli would regain that four-goal lead for OJR, making it 5-1, when he ripped home a pass from Billy Kranich. Shanahan-O’Hara scored 10 seconds later to make the score 5-2. But that would be all.

GYMNASTICS

The Berks East Gymnastics Levels 5 through 9 teams, of Parkerford, recently competed in the 2013 Nation’s Capital Cup held in Landover, Md.

Level 5, Jr. A: Kelly Buckley placed third on beam and floor; Georgia Hand placed second on vault, fifth on bars; Brynn Montieth placed fourth on beam, sixth on vault; Elizabeth Romano placed fourth on floor. Senior: Hannah Kocur placed first AA, second on bars and beam, third on vault and floor; Kayla Staquet placed fourth AA, first on beam and floor.

ARCHERY

The Stowe Archers Youth program has been growing since it was created in 2010. It started with seven participants and the numbers have increased at a steady pace with more than 30 participants and at least two emails each week inquiring about the program.

Classes are held every Monday night, 7 to 8:30 p.m., at Grosstown Road, at Tooth Ache Lane, for all children up to age 17, with the first hour observing the young shooter and suggesting on how they can improve their shooting form, the principle being that “perfect form equals perfect score.” It continues with scoring those attempting to earn a button, and the last half hour for letting the youngsters shoot at 3D targets.

During the first two years bows were borrowed from the Lower Pottsgrove Sportsman Association archery program. In September 2012. Stowe Archers purchased 10 Genesis bows and four Mini Genesis bows to go with donated left-hand bows and seven dozen arrows.

The program is conducted by USA Archery/National Field Archery Association instructors, with safety being the first consideration and creating a program where kids learn how to shoot.

MASTERS TRACK AND FIELD

The years are certainly not slowing down Ray Feick, the master thrower from Gilbertsville.

Feick again was the best in all three of his events, posting two personal-best distances at the Mid-Atlantic Masters Track and Field Indoor Championships at the University of Delaware.

He captured first in the weight throw with a 43-6 (13.25 meters), a personal best for his current age bracket of Masters 80-84. He also threw a personal best in the super weight (25 pounds) with a 23-1 (7.04 meters). He additional won the shot put with a 29-1 (8.90 meters).

About the Author

Rosemarie Ross is a veteran sports reporter for The Mercury. A native of Germany, she began her career with the former United Press International pioneering the role of women in sports reporting. She was worked in Trenton, Phladelphia and Patterson, N.J. and has covered pro sports and boxing. She is a member of the National Hall of Fame for her boxing coverage. She covers high school sports -- and loves it. Reach the author at rross@pottsmerc.com
or follow Rosemarie on Twitter: @RoseRoss31.